Earlier, Matt asked: [A]ny readers out there want to calculate how much lower the deficit would have been if the 2003 capital gains and dividends tax cuts hadn't been in effect? Well, I'm not sure about the capital gains and dividends cuts, but the Center on Budget and Policy Priotities informs us that:

Ezra Klein, writing on Tapped, points us to this Bloomberg article about an emerging consensus among economists regarding the minimum wage: Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Prominent economists of all ideological persuasions long believed that raising the U.S. minimum wage would retard job growth, creating unintended hardship for those at the bottom of the ladder. Today, that consensus is eroding, and a vigorous debate has developed as some argue that boosting the wage would pull millions out of poverty.

Joel Friedman and Aviva Aron-Dine at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities have put together a great article comparing the benefits of a minimum wage hike and a reduction of the estate tax. [The Economic Policy Institute] estimates that the average yearly wage increase for the 6.6 million workers who would benefit directly from the minimum wage change would total about $1,200. [...]

The House is unexpectedly expected to vote on a minimum wage bill today. House GOP members are trying to tie the $2.10 minimum wage hike to a health insurance provision affecting small businesses. There is also speculation that Republicans are going to attempt attaching a permanent estate tax cut to the bill. BNA (subscription required):